The charges date back to the 1990s, when Bo served as mayor and later party secretary of Dalian, a port city of 6 million people. He cultivated a close relationship with a young businessman, Xu Ming, and together their fortunes soared. The owner of a small seafood refrigeration warehouse, Xu was awarded no-bid contracts for redevelopment projects that transformed Dalian into an urban showcase.

Just 21 when Bo came to Dalian, Xu became a billionaire within a few years. At one point, according to Forbes, he was the eighth-richest man in China. He showed his appreciation by showering the Bo family with his largess.

Xu allegedly flew the family on first-class trips to Europe and paid for Bo’s son to attend the $40,000-a-year Harrow boarding school in London. He hired a law firm run by Gu. He is also suspected of buying various properties for the Bo family, including the stunning villa in Cannes. [Source]

The article notes that the Party seems to want to make the case a milestone in its recent anti-corruption campaign, however, the biggest dilemma facing the Party is that the exposure of Bo’s wealth may trigger fear among other senior officials who are equally well off.